When I hear the words “indentured servant” I think of a youth or immigrant in colonial America, working seven years to learn a trade and work their way to freedom. In Amal Unbound, author Aisha Saeed shines a light on the hidden, present day, virtual enslavement of oppressed people, especially girls.
Twelve -year-old Amal is the eldest child living in a present day Pakistani village. One day she is attending school, dreaming of becoming a teacher and the next she must stay home to take care of her family while her mother recovers from childbirth.
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Frustrated by having to care for her two younger sisters, Amal goes to the market alone, enjoying her temporary reprieve from constant care taking.
She is nearly run over by the corrupt and ruthless overlord who rules the village with impossible financial demands. Amal could be killed, beaten, or forced to live and work in the overlord’s household. Even as the car arrives to take her away, Amal and her family hold out hope that they will be able to raise the money to buy her freedom.
Amal soon learns that she has little chance of leaving the situation and despair nearly overtakes her. She must learn to negotiate the complex social system of the house staff and barely escapes the overlord’s wrath after being set up by another servant. Worse, the Kahn family kills those who stand in their way.
Amal rises above her despair and risks all in a desperate plan to bring justice to her village and to win her freedom.
The story of Amal Unbound is as stunning and compelling as the book’s cover. According to Saeed, most indentured servitude does not end with freedom and this odious practice is a world-wide problem, but readers will cheer Amal’s determination and fortitude.
Perfect for a read aloud, book club, or gift for middle grade students and teachers.
